One Week
by writerspassion18
Summary: Draco had one week. One week to endure someone else's pain and hope he didn't end up in Azkaban in the process...
1. Day One

Draco stood in front of his floor-length mirror. He tightened his skinny black tie with one hand and smoothed down loose hairs on the left side of his head with the other. He was fixing the cuffs of his sleeves when there was a tiny pop resonating from inside of his bedroom.

"What?" Draco asked rudely as he let his hands fall to his sides and he continued to inspect himself.

"Master Malfoy sent me, Young Master Malfoy." The nervous house elf said. "Master Malfoy said to tell Young Master Malfoy that your guest will be here soon."

Draco clenched his jaw tightly at the mention of the words "your guest." They were hardly _his_ guests. They were his father's friends, colleagues, band of troublemakers; whatever one wanted to call them. Draco was only along for this ride because he lived in his father's house. In fact Draco was in the middle of remedying that little situation, but, unfortunately, it was apparent that he wasn't working fast enough.

"Tell him I'll be there in a moment."

"Yes, Young Master Malfoy."

The familiar pop sounded again and Draco continued to stand in front of his mirror. He stared in disgust of himself. He was twenty-one years old and was still following his father's shadow. There was something about the man that pulled Draco in and made him feel like the child he had been for seventeen years. Maybe it was the fact that dear ole dad _was_ indeed his father. Growing up, Draco had wanted nothing more than to make his father proud. To _be_ his father and to have all of the fear and respect that he had. As he grew out of childhood, however, Draco had come to realize that all of that fear and respect came from an alley that he had rather not walk though. Draco did not have his father's heart; if one could call it that. His morals were not his father's, though many of those ideals were lightly etched into his psyche. Emphasis on the lightly.

Draco sighed and finally turned away from his image. He closed the door after him and walked down the hall. It led the way out of the wing of Malfoy Manor that belonged to him. It was a rare sight to see his father, or anyone else for that matter, in the East Wing. Perhaps that was one of the reasons that Draco had resided in the dark reminder of his childhood for so long. He was in it by himself so much of the time that it was easy to forget it was attached to a living hell.

Straight down the hall and an abrupt left brought Draco to the main lobby of Malfoy Manor. It was where their grand fireplace was held and where many of their "guests" entered from. But today they would be entering through Lucius' private Floo Network that he had paid a hefty bribe to install and to keep secret. And so Draco made it pass the lobby and headed towards the south wing where his mother and father spent their time. His mother wouldn't be there, however. The moment she had heard of the news that they had a "guest" coming, she decided that it would be a lovely time to visit extended family in the south of France for the duration of his visit. Draco admired her spirit.

When Draco reached his father's suite, he could hear voices emanating from one of the studies. With a deep breath, Draco turned the knob and entered the room without knocking. An instant look of disapproval was gained from Lucius, but his "guest" didn't see nor did he seem to mind the intrusion.

"Draco!" Rodolphus Lestrange greeted with a large smile. "It's wonderful to see you. How is my young nephew?"

Draco suppressed a grimace and instead smiled as he set one his hands on the rim of his pants pocket and closed the door behind him. "I've been well, Uncle Rodolphus. And yourself?"

"Eh, how well can you be when the Ministry is dying to see you behind bars…" Rodolphus shrugged and then laughed. "They can try, but they won't succeed, will they?"

"Of course not," Lucius said haughtily. "You'll die of natural causes before they even get a whiff of where you are."

_Is the Killing Curse a natural cause?_ Draco thought in his mind, but then quickly replaced it with something less murderous when Rodolphus asked him a question.

"We're doing well." Draco replied as he automatically loosened his tie from its tight grip on his throat.

"More than well," Lucius took it upon himself to add. "He's thinking about marrying her. Aren't you, Draco?"

"Hm," Draco responded as he, as politely as he could, passed the elder gentlemen in order to make it to the bar. Rodolphus congratulated Lucius, not Draco, on the pending engagement while Draco simply poured himself a generous amount of firewhiskey in a short glass. It was gone in one large gulp.

"So, Uncle," Draco said in faux-interest as he fixed himself another drink as well as two others. "Is this sudden, though welcomed, visit for business or pleasure?"

Rodolphus paused, thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Truthfully, it was a matter of convenience."

Draco furrowed his brow in confusion as he sipped, instead of gulped this time, on his drink. He expertly balanced the other two drinks in his free hand and allowed both men to take a glass.

"As a fugitive it's never good to stay in one place." Rodolphus explained. "I was staying in a modest home; the owner of which having…_disappeared_." He added with a mischievous smile. "But would you believe that the house was raided? Thank Merlin it happened while I was inconspicuously out and about. Sadly, the unexpected visitors came at a time where my future abode wasn't ready yet."

"And so, Rodolphus will be staying with us until it is." Lucius commented. Draco could say nothing but emit a soft "Oh," and now chug the rest of his drink.

"It should be no more than a week." Rodolphus continued. "I would love to stay longer, but I have a rule of not spending time in a place where most of your enemies are."

"A wise rule," Draco mentioned, eager and happy to know that it wouldn't be a terribly long visit (although a week was certainly long enough). "You'll be safe here."

"Oh, I have no doubts about that." Rodolphus grinned. "I also expect to have a bit of fun while I'm in such a…remote location."

"…Fun?" Draco repeated. Rodolphus continued to show teeth while Lucius picked up the conversation.

"Yes," Lucius said as he set his half-sipped drink aside. "Rodolphus managed to find time to bring someone that will help his restless nights."

Draco felt his chest grow heavy. He had a good idea of what his father meant, but he was trying his best not to believe it. First and foremost, it would be a _stupid_ thing for Rodolphus to do. He was a wanted criminal and a criminal with a very identifiable habit. The moment the Ministry got word that someone was missing and how they were missing, all theories would lead straight to Rodolphus. And somehow, someone _somewhere_ saw him. Someone always sees something. And in one way or another it could lead an Auror straight to Malfoy Manor. How on earth could his father, a man so dedicated to covering his own arse, be okay with this?

"Come," Lucius said as he led the way out of the study. Rodolphus followed closely behind him and Draco slowly trailed after the pair. Lucius was leading them out of the South Wing and back to the main lobby of the Manor. Within the lobby there was a large painting just beyond the stairs. Only a very few people could find the special keyhole within the intricate carving of the painting's frame. The keyhole was an enigma within itself if you didn't know that the rings the Malfoy men wore fit neatly inside. Draco was ashamed that he still wore his, but in all honesty it was because he liked the fashion of it, not where it led to.

And where the stairs behind the painting led to was a place that Draco hadn't stepped foot in in years. There just wasn't a need to. But with Uncle Rodolphus' visit the old dungeons had new life. Twenty stairs led their way to the cells that they kept. And inside one of them lay a young woman. She was unconscious and, to Draco's surprise, blemish free. But of course there was still the rest of Rodolphus' week at Malfoy Manor. There was plenty of time for the woman's pretty flesh to become massacred at the hand of a wand.

Draco moved closer to the cell. As he continued to stare at the woman who was his uncle's prisoner, Draco's heart quickened. He suddenly turned to Rodolphus and pointed a finger at the woman. "Do you have any idea who this is?"

Rodolphus smiled. "Of course I do. How could I not?"

"Do you really?" Draco countered. "This is _bad_."

"Come now, Draco," Rodolphus said as he chuckled and clapped a manly hand on his nephew's back. "What's life without a little risk?"

"There's a difference between risk and suicide." Draco said sternly, ignoring all of the daggers that Lucius was throwing at him. "Her friends won't rest until they find her. And they'll find her _here_. Who do you think will go to Azkaban for her?"

"None of us," Lucius said from behind them. Draco stared harshly at his father, all obedience to him flying out of the window. "I'm surprised at you, Draco. _Clearly_, you've forgotten who we are. Out of everything we've done and gotten away with, a simple kidnapping won't be an issue. Try not to ruin Rodolphus' stay."

Rodolphus was laughing again. His voice resonated off the stone walls and hit Draco's ears hard. It had certainly hit hers; deducible from the fact that her head had suddenly twitched. Draco was staring into the cell now, the voices of his father and uncle fading into deafness. She lay there, in an awkward position so that she was half on her back and on her side at the same time. Almost as though she had been simply thrown into the cell like a ragdoll. Draco couldn't take it. He tore his eyes away from the scene, scanning the ground from any source of dignity that would let her out, right there and then, instead of the opposite. Instead of watching the despicable men he called family leave the dungeons and following after them.

"I'm sorry, Granger…"


	2. Day Two

**Day 2**

It was well past midnight and Draco had been ignoring the letter that sat on his dresser for hours. The owl that had dropped of the letter was in his personal Owlery and would be sent back whenever he got the strength to care. Sighing, Draco turned from laying on his back to his side. He didn't have to open the letter to know who it came from. It was from his "girlfriend" Pansy, asking if he wanted company for the night. Normally Draco never refused. It wasn't because she warmed both him and his bed very well or the fact that he enjoyed the comfort a woman's touch. It was because he wouldn't hear the end of it if he told her no. She would grip and moan, pouting like a child and cause her father to see. Her father would then mention it in passing to Draco's own father, who then would berate his son on not treating Pansy well.

There was no denying that Draco loved women. Sexual intimacy was amazing. Simple intimacy, like hugging or kisses that went nowhere, was better. But what Draco enjoyed best was the talking. All of his friends preferred those acts in the opposite order, but Draco wasn't ashamed. It was easy to say that you had a good relationship with a woman when all you did was sleep with her. But if you could feel the same and make _her_ feel the same without laying a hand on her… That was the work of a true magician. Unfortunately, all that Draco had with Pansy proved him to be an ordinary man.

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours there was a familiar _pop!_ resounding in his room.

"Master Lestrange has taken his tea, Young Master Malfoy."

"And my father?"

"I served his tea just before Master Lestrange."

Draco nodded to himself in satisfaction. "You have one more thing to do, Emory."

"Yes, Young Master Malfoy?"

"…Sandwiches," Draco said as he sat up in bed and stared at the tiny elf. "Make two of them. Meet me outside the portrait in the main lobby just under the stairs in ten minutes."

Emory nodded in comprehension and then bowed. "As you wish, Young Master Malfoy."

As soon as Emory left, Draco pushed himself out of bed. He had been laying in bed with nothing but his silk, black pajama bottoms on, but seeing as he was about to take a late night trip through the Manor, he decided to add more clothing. Draco fished out the first shirt he could find which, unfortunately, was an expensive cotton one. He was trying his hardest not to be himself and worry about trivial matters as he slipped it over his head. He stuffed his feet into a pair of black slippers and left his bedroom and wing. Draco slowly made his way down the halls until he met up with Emory in front of the portrait.

"Your sandwiches, Young Master Malfoy." Emory said, presenting two freshly made sandwiches on a silver platter. Draco took the platter from him, dismissing the house elf at the same time. Once the elf was gone, Draco took a deep, deep sigh. With the tray in his left hand, he placed his right hand close to the frame so that the ring could neatly fit into the keyhole. The stairs were revealed and the portrait fit back neatly over the entrance after Draco had descended the first two stairs. He could hear scuffling as his feet left the last stair and hit the ground. He made his way to Hermione's cell and saw her, fully awake, back against the wall and looking terrified.

That "terrified" look was replaced very quickly, however, by another emotion when she saw Draco's face. Fright had suddenly morphed into anger, and she slowly rose from the ground.

"YOU!" Hermione shouted as she charged at the cell's bars. Draco stepped back as she stuck an arm through the bars, angrily reaching for him. "When Harry and Ron find out you're behind this, they'll kill you."

"I'm sure they will." Draco replied simply. Hermione cocked a brow at him as he shrugged his shoulders. "It won't be too hard to track you, I can imagine. Whether or not it is, you'll be free within a week."

"What kind of game are you playing at?" Hermione suddenly asked him. "What have I done to you that you would bring me here?" She suddenly became self-conscious and held her arms protectively over her body. "…What are you planning on doing with me?"

"There's no reason for you to be afraid of me, Granger." Draco told her. He sighed and set the tray within easy reach of her on the ground. "It's my uncle that you should be worried about. He's the one that kidnaped you and brought you here. Not me and not my father."

"You're uncle..?" Hermione repeated. She stood there, bewilderment written all over her face, but soon it became clear. There was only one uncle of Draco's who was, living for one, and who was crazy enough to kidnap someone as well-known and easy to miss as she was. "…Rodolphus…"

Draco nodded. He crossed his arms about his chest and then gestured his head towards the food. "Eat."

Hermione stared at the tray of food and huffed angrily. "I'm not touching anything you bring to me."

"There's no guarantee how often I'll be able to do this." Draco warned her. "You've got one week in this hell while my uncle is here. You'll need your strength."

Hermione suddenly snapped her eyes to his. She let her arms break from their crossed position and she held the bars tightly. "Get me out of here."

"W-what?" Draco stammered. He quickly cleared his throat to cover his lapse in weakness and shook his head. "I can't do that."

"Why not!" Hermione hissed. "You claim not to have had a hand in kidnapping me. Prove it. Do the right thing and let me go."

Draco was grinding his teeth. He let his gaze fall to the ground so that he couldn't see her pleading face. He continued to shake his head. "They'll know that I did it."

"So?!"

"_So?_" Draco repeated. Now he was the one who was angry. He drew closer to the cell's bars, his hands grasping them as tightly as she had done and their faces mere inches apart. "You don't live here, Granger. And they're not your family."

"If your family told you to Crucio yourself, would you do it?" Hermione retaliated. Draco felt a chill down his spine. In fact they had. His lovely, crazed Auntie Bella, to be more precise.

"The most I can do for you is make your stay as comfortable as possible." Draco told her. "Uncle Rodolphus will be here for one week and one week only. You're tough. You can handle it."

"Handle it?" Hermione repeated with venom in her voice. "I can _handle it_? Whether I can or can't doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that you, Draco Malfoy, have the chance to set me free and you're too much of a coward to do it."

"Take that back." Draco said coldly. "Take that back, right now."

"Not until you let me go." Hermione said swiftly. She stood there, hands still clasping the cell bars as Draco stood doing the same. Draco could feel her searching his expression; wondering what was running through his mind. Truth was that a million things were going through his head. He thought about what would happen if he actually did let her go. Lucius would automatically suspect him. Uncle Rodolphus would be upset that his prize entertainment for the week was gone. Draco would have a clear conscience, that's for certain, but it would quickly become soiled again. The evil man that was Rodolphus would recklessly risk everything to go out and find another young woman to replace what he had just lost. And who knew how strong her will would be? Draco couldn't take the chance.

"…I hate this, Granger." Draco said softly. His eyes met her expectant ones, but soon they were full of rage. "But I rather it be you. Now," He added as he backed away from the bars. "Are you going to eat that sandwich or not?"

Hermione stared at Draco with hatred. She, too, backed away from the bars and then stood in the middle of her cell. "No."

"Fine,"

Draco bent down and picked up the tray with the sandwich. With one last look at her Draco headed out of the cell, feeling both guilty and confident in his decision at the same time.

Draco woke up restricted. The more he moved, the tighter the arms wrapped around his naked torso became. Eventually Draco sighed and just stopped trying to break free altogether. Pansy's head lay on his chest; her hair messily strewn about. Obviously Draco had caved last night. After reaching his room he had wanted nothing more than to forget the look on Granger's face in addition to her angry pleading. And so, he had written a reply to Pansy without opening her letter, went to the Owlery and sent it off with her owl. Pansy was there within the hour and Draco had met her by the fireplace in his lounge with open arms, a kiss, and I love yous. It felt ridiculously fake and the horizontal escapade that followed afterwards was meant to forget that too.

Although his facial expression was the opposite of what he should be feeling with his girlfriend laying on top of him, he was sure the feeling wasn't mutual for Pansy. He couldn't see her face this way, but Draco still knew what it must've looked like. Peaceful. Happy. A delicate smile on her lips. The description wasn't a conceited comment dedicated to his lovemaking. It was just how she slept. And she just so happened to be completely satisfied and contented with her life with nothing bogging her or her smile down. If only the same could be said for him.

The ever-familiar sound of Emory appearing in his bedroom was soon heard. Pansy, the ever heavy sleeper that she was didn't hear a thing. The tiny house elf wasn't surprised that there was a woman in Draco's bed, but his facial expression was terribly apologetic for possibly disturbing her.

"What is it, Emory?"

"Master Malfoy would like your presence at breakfast this morning, Young Master Malfoy."

Draco cocked a brow in the air. "Does he now?"

"Yes, Young Master Malfoy. Breakfast will be ready in one hour."

Emory courteously left Draco's bedroom via the door rather than apparation. Draco couldn't help but smile at that, suddenly thinking that it was a shame that he had to treat him so crudely just to keep him as his personal house elf. With a resigned sigh, Draco stared down at Pansy again. He pursed his lips and then began to scowl. Breakfast. He and his father _never_ ate breakfast together; opting to have it in their respected wings of the Manor. The same went for other meals of the day. Draco could argue that his father wanted a communal meal because Rodolphus was there, but he knew better. Somehow, some way, his father knew that Pansy was there and dear ole dad wanted to show the couple off.

"Pathetic," Draco mumbled and roused Pansy from her sleep.

"Five more minutes," Pansy sleepily pleaded, but Draco continued to gently shake her by the shoulder.

"No more sleep. Breakfast is waiting."

"It's not here, Draco." Pansy said as she opened one eye. "Wake me when it actually is."

"We're not eating in bed today. My father is requesting an audience."

"An audience?"

Pansy woke up then. She detangled herself from Draco (much to his happiness) and sat up in bed with the blanket up to her chest. "We _never_ eat with your father."

"It won't just be my father." Draco replied. Now free, he finally left his bed and stretched. "My uncle is here also."

"Rodolphus is back in England?" Pansy asked in surprise. "Well, that's bold of him."

Draco huffed. "Bold, yes. Wise, certainly not. I only hope his being here doesn't jeopardize us."

"Draco dear," Pansy smiled. "Rodolphus knows how to cover himself. He'll be in and out before you know it. You worry too much."

Draco bit his lip as he headed to his wardrobe. She was another person in her life who took dire situations so casually. So confident. So complacent. It was maddening. That and the fact that some of Pansy's clothes were taking up space in Draco's wardrobe. No, that wasn't on the same level of her being okay with harboring a fugitive, but it still irked him. They both dressed in front of the wardrobe in silence, though there was a hum in Pansy's voice. Once they were properly dressed, they left Draco's wing, hand-in-hand and made it to the lobby of the Manor. Once on the ground floor they gravitated towards the fireplace, but instead turned down an adjacent right hallway that led to the dining hall. Lucius and Rodolphus were already there, digging into their breakfast with hearty looks on their faces.

"Ah, there they are!" Lucius said merrily as they waked in. Draco tried his best not to scowl. "How are you, Pansy?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Malfoy. Just fine." Pansy smiled as Draco pulled out her seat for her. "Rodolphus, it's lovely to see you back in town. Staying long?"

"One week, and one week only." Rodolphus replied. "Of course there won't be much sightseeing while I'm here."

"No, there wouldn't be, would there?" Pansy agreed. "But I'm sure your two lovely hosts will make sure your stay is pleasurable despite the circumstances."

"Oh, I'm quite capable of keeping myself entertained." Rodolphus smiled as he raised a glass of orange juice to his lips. "I had an early start at it this morning, followed by a walk around the property."

Draco, who had been piling food onto his plate, stopped mid-scoop. He looked up at his uncle who was grinning from ear to ear. Lucius was also showing all teeth, Pansy too, but it was less likely that she knew what his uncle was referring to by entertainment. Draco wondered how it went. He wondered what Rodolphus did to her. He wondered what he made her do. All of the possibilities were swarming around his head and it made him sick to his stomach.

"Draco, are you done with the eggs?" Pansy asked him. Draco still had his hand on the spoon handle; the spoon itself hovering just over the eggs. Draco said nothing but simply began scooping some eggs onto her plate.


	3. Day Three

**Day 3**

Just like the previous night, Draco waited until Emory informed him that both Lucius and Rodolphus had taken their nightly tea. Slippers on his feet and a button-up pajama top over him, Draco slowly made his way down to the dungeons. When the painting slid into place behind him, it was only then that Draco wasn't sure that he had wanted to be there. He felt nervous and scared about both what he might see and about what Granger would say. But unfortunately it was too late. His feet had already taken him down the steps and soon enough he was standing two feet from the cell door. Granger was awake. She was also sitting on the ground with her back against the wall, hugging her knees that were pressed against her chest.

Draco was standing there for what felt like a five full minutes without her acknowledging him. This frightened him. She couldn't be in shock, could she? She was stronger than that. She _had_ to be. It was the only reason that he thought she should stay. Better her than some weak-willed-

"Go away," Hermione eventually said. Draco swallowed and dared to go a bit closer.

"…I'm sorry for what happened today."

Hermione stared at him then and glared. "Don't give your sorrys to me. You could've stopped this. You could've let me go. It was your fault that I was Crucioed today."

Draco scowled. "It wasn't my hand holding that wand."

"Regardless…" She huffed as she looked away from him. "Here I was thinking that you had changed."

Draco stared at her curiously and crossed his arms. "From what into what, I imagine?"

Hermione's eyes glanced at him once and back to the open space in front of her. "Mean and ruthless to a benefactor."

"…You've been checking up on me."

"I read the Daily Prophet and your name happened to be there." Hermione snapped at him. "But that's what you Malfoys do, isn't it? You show this respectable persona to the world, but the only reason people accept that on face value is because they can't _prove_ the sinister side. Not yet, anyway."

Draco began to grit his teeth and ball his fits while his arms were still crossed. "_Don't_ put me in the same category as my father. I'm _not_ my father."

"Your actions say otherwise."

"My actions are saving someone else's life and sanity." Draco shot back. It was her turn to stare at him curiously. He sighed out of frustration at her expression, knowing full well that she'd want an explanation. He could just leave, of course. There was no one shackling him to where he stood and forcing him to talk to her. But it was only because she was in such a dire predicament that Draco gave in. "Uncle Rodolphus is crazy, just like his wife. You and I both know that. What he does to people for pleasure is maddening, not to mention sickening. I was horrified to know that he had chosen you-"

"Because you knew my friends would kill you-"

"And because I knew you."

"…Why should that matter?"

"It's easier to deal with the things that go on in his place when it's a stranger." Draco admitted. "As _ruthless_ as it may seem to you, I feel _nothing_ then. I used to, but I guess I numbed myself enough to deal with it. But the fact that it's you…" Draco paused. "Let's just say that I don't normally chat with whomever my father's associates bring here."

"…Sympathy…" Hermione said after a moment's silence. "Am I supposed to thank you for it? It's not a very fair trade, Malfoy, and you know it."

"I don't care what you do with it." Draco said bluntly. "You just have to understand that I'm _not_ like them. I have feelings and I care. I care about who my uncle brings back here if I were to let you go. Not everyone's a Gryffindor, Granger. Not everyone's _you_. I stand by what I said last night even though you were offended by it. You can handle it."

Silence swept the dungeons. The only noise was each other's breathing and the occasional howling of the wind. Draco figured there was nothing more to be said that night and turned to leave just as Hermione spoke.

"Malfoy?"

"What?"

Hermione sighed and looked up at him. "Is it…possible to have that sandwich now?"

Draco nodded. "I'll have my house elf, Emory, bring it to you."

"And some ice?" Hermione added. "The Cruciatus Curse doesn't leave you feeling very comfortable afterwards…"

Draco nodded once more, finally leaving the dungeons in order to give Emory special permission for this week, and this week _only_, to gain access to the dungeons.

….

Despite the term "daily," Draco signed up to receive the Daily Prophet every other day. The news had never interested him much; especially because any dirty deed that it would report on, Draco would have already had insider knowledge about it. But still there was Quiditch and the occasional sleaze that his friend Blaise thought only women should be interested in. But today, Draco wasn't interested in reading either. The headline shook the sleepiness right out of him and Draco immediately fled his wing. He went to the south wing and, although this was pertinent information, knocked on the large mahogany doors. A minute or so passed before Draco raised his hand to knock again, but his father had opened the door before he had gotten the chance.

"What is it?" Lucius asked grumpily. Draco could muster up a smirk at this point. It was a very rare sight to catch his father in the throes of being a normal person. Instead of the illustrious, well-groomed, and well-presented man that he always was, Draco was seeing someone who had obviously still been in a deep sleep. As much as this was a treasure to behold, Draco didn't have the time to bask in it.

"You have to see this." Draco said as he pushed the Daily Prophet into his father's hands. Lucius took it, stared at the front, and then passed it back to his son before turning and venturing back into his bedroom.

"So, they're still keeping up the search for her. Is that why you decided to attempt to break down my door at the crack of dawn?"

"Still?" Draco repeated. He fully entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him. "You mean to tell me that they had begun searching for her before?"

"Yesterday," Lucius replied nonchalantly. "And that's a prime example of why you should read the Daily Prophet on a _daily_ basis. You would've known."

"I could've known if you had told me." Draco huffed, and Lucius narrowed his eyes at him; his status of authority quickly shining through.

"I don't have to tell you anything." Lucius said sternly. "And why would I, when you would merely spew worries that are completely unwarranted?"

Draco sighed. "With all due respect, Granger is in _Malfoy_ Manor, not Uncle Rodolphus' own property. Should she be found, it'll be _us_ on the line, not him."

"_Should_ being the optimal word." Lucius replied. "And she won't be. Rodolphus isn't careless. You used to know that and you will do best to remember that again. Now, be on your way. Rodolphus and I will be out for the day; with the utmost _discreteness_, of course." Lucius mocked. Draco knew better than to clench his jaws in his father's presence. Instead he nodded in compliance and left his father's bedroom and wing altogether.

…

Emory was a good house elf. Aside from tending to Draco's every personal needs like food and cleaning various parts of his wing, Emory made an _excellent_ spy. He had the uncanny ability to be hidden in plain sight and it served Draco well. It was how he knew that his father and uncle had left the Manor; not to mention where they were going which gave Draco a good estimate of how long they would be gone. And so, Draco showered, dressed and made his way down to the dungeons. When he got there, he was surprised to be met with a projectile that Seeker skills allowed him to expertly duck. Draco raised a brow at Hermione who was thoroughly embarrassed and surprised to see that it was him.

"Sorry," Hermione mumbled. "I thought you were Rodolphus."

"Understandable," Draco said as he glanced in the direction of the object. "What was that anyway?"

"A rock," She smiled, and then pointed to a corner of the cell. "Parts of it are eroding. I spent a good portion of the night digging that golden nugget out. Speaking of that, I'd like to have it back before you go."

Draco smiled as well and nodded. "Certainly." It didn't take him very long to find it. It was large and pointy enough to hurt; possibly disorient for a little while. "It's safe for you for a bit. Rodolphus and my father are out."

"Out?" Hermione questioned as she took the rock from him. "Rodolphus is a fugitive."

"And a risky one, despite what my father believes." Draco replied. "But where he and my father have gone is the least of my worries." He sighed and pulled out the Daily Prophet from his back pocket and handed it to her. "How long will it take for your friends to find you?"

Hermione stared at the newspaper and read the headline. "Not long," She answered and handed it back to him. Draco pursed his lips and put the newspaper back into his pocket.

"Will they believe me?" Draco asked her. "If I tell them that it was neither I nor my father that kidnapped you? Will they believe me?"

Hermione crossed her arms and frowned. "I doubt it. And even if they did, you're still an accessory because you could have let me go. You'll be arrested anyway."

Draco sucked his teeth. "Of course I would."

"…You could turn him in, you know." Hermione said after a short while. Draco stared at her in surprise. "Your father? You could probably get a lesser sentence that way. I can't guarantee it, of course, but-"

"Would you do it?"

"Excuse me?

"Would you turn in your own father if it was you?" Draco asked. "I can detest my father's actions as much as I want, but he's still my father. I don't want him going to Azkaban as much I don't want to go myself. You may not understand, but-"

"No, no I get it." Hermione nodded and then sighed and shrugged. "That's one thing going for you I suppose. You're quite loyal. That and you have a very special house elf."

"What makes you say that?" Draco questioned even though he agreed. Hermione smiled and began slowly walking around her cell.

"Emory…that's his name right? He stayed with me after he brought me that sandwich to eat and the pack of ice. He stayed with me until sunup, if you'll believe it. We talked. A lot. For a house elf, he's very widely read. I was quite impressed."

"Well, he should be." Draco chuckled. "He's been my personal house elf since I was a child. Whatever I read, so did he so I could…" Draco paused as he felt his cheeks redden. "…Have someone to talk to about them. So I guess thanks for the compliment, Granger." He laughed. "Emory is…very impressive indeed. I've promised myself to set him free once I'm married."

Hermione cocked a brow in surprise. "Married? You're engaged?"

"Dating," Draco corrected. "But I do plan on marrying her. Pansy Parkinson, if you remember her."

"Ugh, how could I forget..?" Hermione said automatically before quickly putting a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend-"

"Don't be sorry. We were all pretty terrible." He replied modestly. "But she's better now."

"…So are you. Despite what I said before…"

Draco paused. He shrugged and let a hand run through his hair. "Maybe,"


	4. Day Four

After his time in the dungeons with Hermione, Draco spent the majority of his day in his private lounge, reading. If nobody knew where he was or what he was doing, it was a safe bet that that's what he'd be up to. Draco found a true peace within himself if he had a book in his hands. It was as though, just for a moment, he could put himself into another world and just forget the one he was in for a little while. It was now more than ever that Draco wanted to do that.

And so, hours passed. Emory gave him his meals in his study which meant that he didn't step foot out of that room until after midnight. Draco had only intended to see Hermione once a day, but there was no guarantee that he would get to see her the next morning, so he made an exception. As he made his way to the dungeons, Draco was surprised to see Rodolphus roaming the halls. Emory had already informed him that his dear uncle had taken his nightly tea. It was a rarity that Rodolphus, or his father for that matter, would take on any other duties of the night after that. It seemed that tonight was made for more than one exception.

"Uncle," Draco greeted calmly. "I didn't expect to see you up and about at this time of night."

"Yes, well, I couldn't sleep." Rodolphus told him. "I decided to pay our guest a visit, but that only ruined the prospect of decent sleep. She gave me a bleeding headache, _literally_." He grumbled, and that's when Draco noticed. Rodolphus had a huge lump on the side of his head; bruised terribly and remnants of blood that had trickled out of a cut.

_My does she have excellent aim…_ Draco thought to himself and tried his hardest not to smile in front of his uncle. Rodolphus didn't notice. He merely kept muttering angrily about the audacity that the mudblood had to attack him. "But I got her good. That's for certain." He added, and it was those few words that wiped the unnoticeable smile from Draco's lips. Rodolphus continued on his way to his wing without asking where Draco was going or what he was doing up. Maybe it would be an afterthought for the older gentleman, but that was the least of Draco's worries. He hurried his steps to the dungeon and stood at the top of the small stairs long after the portrait entrance had closed behind him.

The dungeons were never a happy place, that was for certain, but Draco felt even more dread than he usually did. He took slow, careful steps towards Hermione's cell and was appalled at what he saw. She was laying on her stomach on the cold ground, her cheek pressed against it. Could he really call it her cheek? Her face was swollen terribly. The rest of her body that was visible was just as terrible: bruised and red.

"Emory!" Draco called. The house elf appeared at his side no more than a second later. Even Emory couldn't contain himself when he had seen Hermione's state. "Go and bring me my wand, right now. And ice. A lot of ice."

Emory left without saying a word while Draco brought his ring to the cell door. It would open just like the portrait to the dungeon did, and as soon as the cell door gave the familiar _click!_ to let him know that it was open, Draco flung himself inside and knelt down on the ground.

"Granger," Draco said as he stared at her. He reached out his hands, letting them hover over her as he tried to figure out what to do. Should he grab her arm? Should he raise her head and try to rest it on his lap? So many thoughts were running through his mind that it was hard to think straight.

Emory came back with the items that Draco had requested and brought them into the cell. Draco resisted the urge to thank him and instead instructed him to be on the lookout for either his uncle or father and to be ready should he call again. Emory nodded, gave one last pitying look at Hermione and then vanished. Draco, now with everything he needed, made his move whether it was the right one or not.

Draco swallowed as he grabbed Hermione by her upper body. She groaned terribly at being moved. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He apologized and set her down over his outstretched legs. With her head on his lap, Draco moved her hair from out of her face as gently as he could. He took his wand in his hand to take care of some the pain and most of the swelling. Once that was finished he moved onto the rest of her body. Magic couldn't make it heal completely, but it could make it bearable. Draco took care of the places that were swollen and he took the blood stains away. He did his best to stitch any opened wounds, which, to him, was an utter failure. You needed a steady hand to perform those kind of spells, and Draco's was shaking terribly.

When her body was in a better shape, Hermione had become more conscious. One of her first acts in awareness was to continuously try to push him away.

"Stop it. Stop." She kept telling him as she tried to push away his hands. "Rodolphus…he'll know that you healed me."

"I don't care." Draco said sternly and raised her body up further. He was holding her now; her upper body in his arms as tightly as he could hang onto her without hurting her. He replaced the wand in his hand with the pack of ice before it melted. He pressed it onto the side of Hermione's face and she winced. "I'm sorry…again. Granger, I'm so sorry. I should've let you go. There's no excuse. You were right. I'm a coward. Whatever bullocks I came up with to justify keeping you here-"

"No," Hermione said softly. She was staring up at him, her face displaying the pain she was feeling with the ice pressed against her face. "You were _right_. Not everyone could take what I went through tonight."

"No one should have to."

Draco sighed and repositioned the ice. Hermione reflexively placed a hand over his that was holding the pack. It must have pained her to do it, but regardless she didn't let her hand fall.

"…It's three more days." Hermione said. "Three more days until Rodolphus is gone."

"Not if I let you go tonight. I'll take you myself." Draco offered. "To your house, to St. Mungo's, wherever you want to go."

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "Neither one of us are going anywhere tonight." She repositioned herself in Draco's arms so that she could see his face better and even made a smile. "I'm going to stay in this cell. And you're going to stay with me. Something tells me that you're a much better pillow than the stone floor."

Draco wanted to protest, but by the look on Hermione's face he knew that she would protest right back. Instead he nodded and leaned his back against the wall. In silence he cradled Hermione in his arms while holding ice to various parts of her body within an arm's reach. And in silence, Hermione accepted his care. Well, not in total silence. She did ask one thing of him during the long night, and that was to pick out another chunk of the cell wall. "Bigger than the one before." She had added, and Draco promised her to do just that.

Draco left Hermione's cell just before dawn. She had fallen asleep in his arms and so he slipped off the robe that he had been wearing and gently placed it under her head so she would have some sort of head support. In a last minute thought, Draco performed a Chameleon Charm on it in case Rodolphus came to see her before he could eventually retrieve it.

When Draco finally made it to his bedroom he realized that he was exhausted. He had been awake for the entire night and now the consequences were weighing on him. Unfortunately, sleep would have to wait. Pansy's owl was sitting on his desk. The owl was sleeping and the letter for him was sitting beside him. Draco knew the hell he would have to pay for not responding to her during the night and could just imagine the pouting and whining that would go along with it. Emory was also waiting in his bedroom, and the look on his face meant that whatever he had to say trumped girlfriend drama.

"Is it at all possible that it could wait, Emory?" Draco asked groggily as he rubbed his face with his hands. Emory frowned and quickly shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Young Master Malfoy." Emory replied. "I overheard your father and Master Lestrange talking not too long ago. Master Rodolphus was spotted!"

"Spotted?" Draco repeated, all sleepiness driven from him. "Spotted where? When?"

"There are witnesses who came forward last evening, Young Master Malfoy. They say that they saw Master Lestrange or someone like him in the area. As Miss Granger's disappearance is still being looked into-"

"They'll automatically assume that Rodolphus had something to do with it." Draco groaned. Emory frowned.

"The Ministry will look for him, yes, Young Master Malfoy. But that does not mean that they will look for him _here_."

"No, they won't necessarily look here, but they'll be on our doorstep soon enough, asking questions. To see if we might know something about him."

"What will you do?"

That was a good question. Draco couldn't very well go to his father with his concerns. Technically he shouldn't know about this. There was nothing that he _could _do. Not until his father or Rodolphus came to him or the Daily Prophet arrived the next day with news on Hermione's disappearance.

And so, Draco would wait in anxious anticipation.


	5. Day Five

Draco had managed to avoid his father's and uncle's presence for a second day in a row. Draco supposed it had something to do with the fact that Rodolphus wasn't as safe as he thought he would be being back in town. It wouldn't be surprising if another "visitor" came to stay because of it. Either that or something interesting in the Daily Prophet about the witnesses taking back their statements.

Regardless of that, Draco, once again, spent his time in his wing and took an early rest for much longer than intended. He slept for so long that it wasn't until three in the morning that Draco woke up with a disorienting start. He didn't know whether Hermione would be awake or not, but he still wanted to see her. And so, Draco took the long journey from his wing of the Manor and to the dungeons, making sure to take soft steps in case she was asleep. She wasn't, however, and in fact was sitting up against the cell wall lightly tossing the stone from the wall that Draco had magically carved out for her.

"I'm surprised you didn't chuck that at me." Draco said as he approached her. Hermione looked up and smiled. She looked better today.

"Quiet footsteps," Hermione replied as she set the rock aside. "Rodolphus isn't as polite as you."

Draco nodded in agreement as he sat down just outside of the cell. "How are you feeling?"

"I can stretch without crying out, if that says anything." Hermione sighed. "I'd probably be worse if you didn't help me last night. So I guess…thank you, Malfoy. Pansy's very lucky to have someone like you. Someone that cares."

It shouldn't have, but Hermione's comment hurt. Draco knew that it was supposed to be taken as a compliment, but it hit in a place that stung, _deeply_. Sighing, Draco rested his back and head against the cell bars.

"…No she's not." Draco said eventually. Although Hermione was as far away from him as possible, he was sure that he could still feel her stiffen up. "We've been together for three years now and…I don't love her. And I'm not sure if I can ever see myself loving her."

"…Then why do you plan on marrying her?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Hermione scoffed. Draco heard movement and shortly felt a bit of air run across his face. She had gotten up and sat against the cell bars just as he had. "I get it. It's your family. It's the Malfoy name. If it's not Pansy, it'll be one of the Greengrasses, or someone else. But Malfoy, you have the right to be happy too. Think about it for a second. What makes you happy?"

Draco paused. From the corner of his eye he could see Hermione staring at him curiously from his lack of response.

"It's not a hard question, Malfoy." Hermione said after a while. Draco rubbed his hands together nervously and shrugged.

"I know it's not, but I just… I've never really thought about it. I've spent my whole life doing what I've been expected to do as part of my family. I do have wants, though. Not sure if they'll exactly make me happy but-"

"What are they?" Hermione asked excitedly. Draco shifted his body slightly so he could see her. She was smiling; and as a side note her face was healing up beautifully.

"I want to buy my own house." Draco told her. "I'm in the process of doing it, too. Met with a realtor and everything."

"Well, that's great. It should be much easier to be your own man then."

"I would sure hope so." Draco chuckled. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he began rubbing his hands together again. It was a nervous gesture of his, not that there were many.

"Any more news about my friends trying to find me?" Hermione suddenly asked. Draco shrugged.

"I wouldn't know. I don't receive the Daily Prophet every day and I've never regretted it until now. Emory did overhear my father and uncle talking though. Rodolphus was spotted."

"Spotted?"

Draco nodded. "Some witnesses said they saw someone like him. With you missing it won't be very long for your good pals to put those two coincidences together. If they haven't done so already, that is."

"And for them to come here and ask you and your father questions." Hermione added. Draco groaned out of aggravation. "You've got me hidden pretty well down here. Even if they came today they wouldn't find me."

"For someone who was so angry at me for not letting you go, you're very keen on staying now."

Hermione shrugged and winced. "I may look pretty good on the outside, Malfoy, but I'm in no condition to be going anywhere. And I couldn't allow you to take me and risk us being seen together in the midst of this…craziness. Consider it a thank you for taking care of me the other night."

Draco stared at his lap and nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you. I guess…I should let you get some sleep then."

"What will you do?" Hermione asked. "I could be wrong, but you look pretty wide awake to me."

"I don't know. Read, I'm thinking. One of Nathan Wimble's,"

Hermione smiled. "His writing is good, I will admit. Can't say that I agree with most of what he says, though."

"And I, on the other hand, agree." Draco countered with a grin. "Tell you what, I'll go and get my book and bring it down here. We could…read it together if you like. If you're not too tired, that is."

Hermione's face lit up. "I'm never too tired for an educational fight."

Draco smiled once more. "I'm sure you're not."

Draco had never fought with someone so viciously and enjoyed it. They had two lines of thinking, him and Hermione, and it made them challenge everything the other said. A few obscenities were even said, some not even from Draco's mouth which surprised him the most. The delicate flower of the Golden Trio had thorns, and Draco wasn't scared to tamper with them.

Like the other night, Draco ended up leaving the dungeons by dawn. He would've stayed there longer, but as the sun rose Hermione's head began to hang and her eyes to close. He stared at the top of her head that lay on his shoulder. He couldn't help but smile and then laugh. If someone told him that he would be allowing Hermione Muggleborn Granger to be sleeping on him, Draco would've called that person crazy. Maybe he _had_ changed.

Draco's intentions for that morning was to go right to bed. However, an angry Pansy wasn't about to let that happen. Somehow she had managed to get herself into his bedroom and she sat there, on the edge of his bed, staring at him murderously.

Draco could do nothing but sigh as he closed his bedroom door after him. "Well, what a lovely surprise."

Pansy huffed. "Lovely my arse. I came here to see if you were dead." She then pointed to her Owl that was still in his bedroom but now sitting in a cage. Her letter was next to it, still unopened. "How could you not reply to me?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Come on, Pansy, don't do that."

"Don't do what?" She said angrily as she placed her hands on her hips. "If it were the other way around you'd be furious with me."

"No," Draco disagreed as he walked pass his bed, and her, to take off his robe and hang it up. "If it were the other way around I would've assumed you were busy and not overreact."

"I am _not_ overreacting!"

"_Yes_, you are."

Draco walked back to his bed and sat on it. Already he could feel how tired he was and knew how easily sleep would come to him when he rested his head on his pillow. Instead, he took Pansy's hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You have me now, Pansy. Can't you be happy with that?"

Pansy was pouting. It was obvious that she still wanted to be mad at him, but it wasn't working. She could never stay mad at him, Draco knew, and remarked at how emotionally labile this woman was. She could become angry within minutes just because he didn't notice that she had magically changed the color of her coat's buttons. And then to make her right as rain again, all Draco had to do was take her hand, give a squeeze, a caress even, stare in her eyes and mutter a few sensitive words. It was exhausting…

Pansy smiled. "Yes, I have you now. But, you still have to make it up to me."

_So much for sleep…_ Draco thought to himself. But just as soon as they were leaning into each other there was a knock on his door. It was the perfect timing. Draco rose from his bed and strode to his door. Surprise was an understatement to how he felt when he saw his father standing in front of him. Lucius never made the effort to speak to his son on a normal basis, but to make the trek from his wing to Draco's? And soon after the sun had risen? It must've been important.

"Is something wrong?" Draco asked as he stepped outside of his room and closed the door so Pansy wouldn't hear.

Lucius smirked at the reason why they were speaking in the hall versus Draco's room and addressed him. "Rodolphus has found a new abode." Lucius informed him. "He left just a moment ago."

"And he didn't say goodbye?" Draco feigned hurt. "What a shame. I guess that means Granger…" He paused, eventually clearing his throat to cover it up. "Granger's left us too, then."

"On the contrary, she's still in the dungeon." Lucius replied. Draco stared at him in confusion as he continued. "Rodolphus had more pertinent matters than to return her, so that little task has fallen on you. You'll wipe her memory clean and then take her away from here."

Anger was one of the many emotions that Draco was feeling. His father was smiling. He was doing this on purpose for his behavior towards Rodolphus during his stay. It was rare moments like these that Draco wasn't opposed to telling his father off. He'd put his one and only son in the way of danger just to "teach him a lesson." It was childish. But the only reason Draco didn't do it was because of Hermione. Had it been someone else he would readily tell his father no and put her in the hands of a house elf. Fortunately and unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"I'll take care of it." Draco told him. "But not today. Granger's much too weak to go anywhere and I can't have her weighing us down as we travel."

Lucius scoffed. "And how would you know that she's weak?"

Draco swallowed unnoticeably. "…When have you known Uncle Rodolphus to leave anyone with their faculties intact?"

Lucius stared at his son curiously and huffed. "Fine."

Lucius walked away humming a tune. Draco snarled at it as he threw himself back into his bedroom. Pansy was there still on his bed, the Daily Prophet in her hands. As he grew closer to his bed the front page came into view and he suddenly began to panic. He quickly went over to Pansy and snatched the paper from her hands.

"Hey!" Pansy shouted.

"Be quiet." Draco snapped at her. "How can you sit here reading this and not bring up the fact that an official investigation into Granger's disappearance has started?"

"Why would you care?" Pansy brooded, but then her face suddenly ignited. "Wait… You don't mean to tell me that _that's_ who Rodolphus was keeping in your dungeons? Oh, well that's a riot!"

"This isn't funny, Pansy." Draco said angrily as he threw down the paper onto the bed. "I have to get Granger out of here."

"_Now?_"

"_Yes_, _now_."

"Draco, be reasonable about this." Pansy told him as she got up from the bed. "It's broad daylight. What would it look like if she was spotted wandering around anywhere near here? It wouldn't be much of a coincidence."

"I'll let her out by my father's Floo."

Pansy let out a laugh. "Like hell, he'll let you."

Draco sucked his teeth. "He'll get over it."

"Draco, please stop." Pansy said as she grabbed him by the shoulders. "Even if Granger's Auror friends come barging through here, they won't find her. No one knows about your dungeons. You're getting worked up for no reason."

Draco hadn't wanted to admit it, but she was right. Pansy saw that she was getting to him and smiled, placing a delicate hand on his cheek.

"Get rid of her tonight." Pansy told him. "It's a wiser and much safer option. Now, let's go to bed."


	6. Day Six

Although Pansy had dragged him to bed, neither one of them slept. Correction, Pansy slept afterwards, but Draco couldn't for the life of him close his eyes despite how tired he was. He spent his time staring up at the ceiling trying to figure out how to safely get Hermione away from Malfoy Manor. It was pass midnight now, and so Draco was less concerned with being spotted. It wasn't possible to disapparate from inside the Manor or even on the property. He would take her outside the boundaries of the spell that would prevent them from doing so and go to London. The muggle part. There was an abandoned building he could take Hermione to in order not to be seen. She would be safe there. Draco could leave, unseen, and Hermione could be picked up by some random muggle bloke who would then take her to a hospital.

Draco then wondered what she would say about her condition. The muggle doctors would want to know what happened to her, but she couldn't very well say that a wizard tortured her. She'd end up in the nuthouse in that case. But of course, Hermione wouldn't be able to say anything if Draco did as his father had said and wiped her memory clean. _If_… Draco had no intentions of wiping Hermione's memory. He only hoped that when she returned to the wizarding world that she would have it in her heart not to mention his name or even his father's. As for Rodolphus', Draco could care less.

With a quiet sigh, Draco detangled himself from Pansy's arms and got dressed. He donned a jacket as it was supposed to be a cold night and grabbed one for Hermione as well for the road. He slipped himself out his room and wing and quickly made it down to the dungeons. Hermione was up and about pacing the cell. When she saw him she smiled and then was also confused as to why he was so well-dressed.

"Where are you off to?"

"It's where we're off to." Draco told her as he unlocked the cell door with his wand. "I'm taking you out of here."

Hermione furrowed her brow. "But Rodolphus..?"

"Is gone for good… I have to get you out of here. An official investigation was launched for you and it's better for you not to be here."

Hermione nodded. "Let's go then."

Draco helped Hermione into the spare coat he had brought, careful not to upset any bruising that had yet to heal properly (which was a lot). Once the coat was on, they left the dungeon and made their way to the front door. Before Draco could put his hand on the doorknob, a melodious sound resonated throughout the Manor. Hermione stared at him as Draco's expression changed to concern. Who would be visiting them at this time of night?

One of the house elves dedicated to the Manor's maintenance appeared at their side and locked eyes with Draco whom she was surprised to see.

"Ask who it is but _don't_ open it." Draco whispered his order. The house elf nodded nervously and cleared her throat.

"Who may I ask is ringing?" the tiny house elf squeaked.

"Aurors Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley," Harry's voice called from behind the massive door. "We need to speak with either Lucius or Draco Malfoy right now."

Draco and Hermione exchanged nervous glances. The house elf looked up at Draco for more instructions, but he and Hermione were already hastily making their way away from the door and down the nearest hall.

"Tell them you'll get one of us in a moment, but _don't you dare open that door._" Draco said to her. He turned his back on the elf as she did his bidding and continued moving with Hermione into one of the lounges that they kept on the main floor. Draco closed the door after them and leaned up against it. "Damn it. What the hell are they doing here?!"

"They probably figured that if you had me, you'd be more caught off-guard at night." Hermione said as she sat down. "It's an Auror tactic."

Draco grinded his teeth. "Damn, damn, damn… How fast does it take to get a warrant?"

"It varies." Hermione replied as she cradled herself. "Depends what's at stake, who they're after… Seeing as it's me and that you could be involved-"

"Odds are they have one and they're going to tear the Manor apart looking for any trace of you." Draco finished. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"You need to get back out there. Especially before your father reaches that door first."

Draco bit the inside of his jar. He quickly scanned the room and lastly lay his eyes on her. "If anyone comes in here-"

"I'm a big girl and I know how to win at hide and seek, Malfoy." Hermione told him. "Now go before my friends get even more suspicious than they probably already are."

Draco nodded and left the room. He quickly made his way to the front door to find Harry and Ron standing on the inside of the Manor rather than behind the door where they should've been. Draco glared mercilessly at the house elf who was cowering in fear. In time though, he knew that it wasn't her fault. It was Pansy, who was merrily talking to two Aurors as though engaging them at a gala.

"Pansy," Draco said as calmly as possible. "I see you're entertaining my guests."

"Well, of course." Pansy smiled. "You were gone and your father asked very politely to see who was disturbing us at this ungodly hour in your stead. He'll be down in a moment."

"I see…" Draco replied as he took in Harry and Ron's stern faces. "To what do I owe this displeasure?"

"You must know, Malfoy. All of England does." Harry said as he crossed his arms. "Hermione's gone missing."

"And?"

"And Rodolphus was also spotted in the area around the same time she disappeared." Ron added. Draco's heart was racing, but he didn't dare let it show. Instead he gave an air of indifference and folded his arms like Harry had.

"All you've done is given me two facts that have yet to explain why you're _here_ and ruining a good night's rest."

"A good night's rest, eh?" Ron huffed. "You look like you just got in."

"Or were just going out." Harry suggested.

Draco self-consciously fixed the collar of his coat. From the corner of his eye he could see the color draining from Pansy's face. Obviously she had just realized why Draco had been out of bed since she had suggested moving Hermione during the night. All Draco could think at the moment, or desperately hope for really, was that her pallor didn't give the Potter Police any reason for doubt.

"I didn't say a good night's rest for me." Draco countered. "Now, you've got two options. Either explain _exactly_ what you want from me or get out. This isn't exactly conventional visiting hours you know."

Harry smirked. He pulled out a piece of parchment from the inside of his robes and shoved it into Draco's folded arms. "We have a warrant to search your Manor for any sign of Hermione. There are other Aurors, twenty in fact, to help with the search on the outskirts of your property."

"Oh really?" Draco said as he opened the search warrant. He stared at it with the utmost disapproval all the while panicking on the inside. He sucked his teeth, rolled the parchment up and gave it right back to them. "On what grounds?"

"The fact that Rodolphus was seen by witnesses, Hermione's timely disappearance, and the fact that Rodolphus has nowhere to go and nowhere to turn to except to you and your father." Ron explained. "We have every right to tear your place apart."

"Your evidence is circumstantial at best."

"It was good enough for the Minister."

"The Minister's a twit." Draco scoffed. "Eye witness testimony can be faulty. Granger could've picked herself up and taken a vacation without letting you two bodyguards know. And as for my uncle, he's a grown man. If he was responsible for this, I'm sure he has his own resources to get around on his own and perform a kidnapping with no help from my father or me. And so, with that said," Draco took a step to the pair and took turns staring both of them hard in the eyes. "Should any one of your Aurors take a single step into my Manor, I'll sue the _hell_ out of you; via the Ministry and personally. So g_et out_. And if you want to pin something on me in the future, do better."

Harry looked furious and Ron looked worse. Silence filled the air for countless seconds until Harry turned his gaze to Ron and motioned towards the door. "Let's go." He said as he huffed at Draco, even throwing a smile in. "I'm sure Malfoy's got plenty of things to discuss when we're gone."

Ron gave one last snarling look at Draco who chose to suck his teeth in return. The moment that they left Pansy let out a breath of relief that she must have been holding the moment Draco began talking to them.

"Oh, I'm so glad that they're gone." She said. "Can you just imagine what would've happened-?"

Draco quickly clapped a hand onto her mouth to stop her from talking. Pansy was clearly taken aback, but he didn't release his hand until his next words were said.

"Don't mention Granger's name for the rest of the night." Draco instructed her. "Go back to bed."

Pansy nodded and frowned at him as he took his hand away. She then childishly crossed her arms. "By myself?"

Draco glared at her. "_Yes_. Now stop whining. I'll be there soon."

Draco turned his back on her and went down the hall. He could hear her stomping angrily as she did what she was told. But right now Pansy was the least of his worries. He entered the lounge where he had left Hermione and was surprised to see her gone. He literally ran into the room, his heart thumping wildly until he saw her coming out from behind a floor-length curtain. Draco sighed contentedly. Yes, she did know how to win at hide and seek.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Draco quickly put a finger to his lips. She stopped, a look of worry on her face. Draco took out his wand and walk towards her. For the first time in a few days, she looked frightened of him, but Draco pleaded with her by shaking his head.

"Trust me," Draco mouthed to her. Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. Draco tapped the tip of his wand to his forehead and then to hers. He continuously did this while mouthing words. When he finally finished, Hermione was staring at him in confusion as well as surprise. It was old magic related to legilimency, and very few people knew how to properly execute it. Draco could tell from her thoughts that she was impressed.

"Don't talk." Draco thought. "Just think."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because your pals are up to something."

Hermione furrowed her brow. "What makes you think that?"

"Because I know they're not stupid. No Auror in their right mind would think that the search warrant they gave me would be good enough to get in and search the place. Not to mention, they would've known how hard I'd fight them on it. They were here for another reason."

"What other reason than just to find me?"

"To catch me in the act…" Draco thought sternly. "It was what Potter said. He said he was sure that I had plenty to discuss when he was gone. The way he said… It's like he expects me to say something that'll condemn me and that he'll hear it. That's why I don't want us to talk."

At that Hermione's face lit up. "The warrant!" She thought loudly. "The warrant that they gave you; it had bugs on it!"

"Bugs?" Draco repeated. Hermione continued to nod as she explained.

"It's a new tactic the Auror Department has been using. They're the wizard version of a muggle device used to spy on people. They can hear everything you say. They're programed to go after the person Aurors want, so when you were given the warrant, they latched onto you. Your clothing. Harry and Ron probably didn't leave. They're just waiting to hear something about me."

"Damn it," Draco swore. "I can't stay in here all bloody night. Pansy's here. I sent her to bed, but there's no way that she's asleep. She's waiting for me to come back."

Hermione stared at him and frowned, tentative about the next set of words she was about to say, or think rather. "The bugs will die out in a matter of hours." She told him. "But if you don't go Pansy may come looking for you, find you, and talk _while you're still wearing the bugs. _You have to go back to her…not wearing those…"

Draco furrowed his brow as Hermione began to grow red in the face. He stared down at himself and then quickly brought his gaze back to her. "Surely you just mean the coat."

"The top of your coat is open and exposes your shirt. Who's to say the bugs didn't latch onto there as well?"

Draco groaned out of frustration as Hermione slipped off the coat that he had given her down in the dungeons. "You can wear this back. I'm really sorry, but I doubt that you want anything about me being heard."

Draco knew she was right. He shook his head in amazement at the stupidity of the situation and noticed that Hermione had politely turned her back on him. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he slowly unbuttoned the coat that he was wearing. He slipped it off and tossed it onto the sofa. He paused before letting his fingers fall onto the buttons of his shirt. Sighing, Draco didn't want to prolong this anymore than it needed to be and went at it. In the middle of his task, he froze. His eyes gravitated to Hermione who still had her back to him. He couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl up and at and how tense she became. Draco chuckled silently and continued undoing his shirt.

"…If you want to look, Granger," Draco thought. "Then look."

Draco heard her scoff inside his head. "I don't want to look."

"Liar,"

"_Malfoy_,"

"It's not my fault that's what you're thinking-"

"A _fleeting_ thought… Now, hurry up and finish."

"I've already finished."

Draco watched as Hermione tentatively turned around as though she thought him to be lying. He had told the truth, however, and was wearing the coat that she had returned to him; his other clothes in a pile on the sofa and his wand jetting out from the coat's pocket.

"You can't leave here until tomorrow night. You do realize this, don't you?" Draco told her. Hermione sighed as she hugged herself and nodded.

"I guess it's back down to the dungeons for another night." Hermione frowned. Draco quickly shook his head and reached out his hand.

"No, it's not. Follow me."

Hermione took a deep breath and him her left hand. Draco led the way out of the lounge and up the stairs in order to take the incredibly long journey to his wing of the Manor. Once there, Draco quietly led her pass his bedroom and pass several others. Some five rooms later, he opened the door to a bedroom suite similar to his own, albeit smaller. Once inside, Draco took out his wand to reverse the mind-sharing that he had put on them a short while ago. Hermione was probably the happiest out of both of them to finally be able to have her thoughts to herself.

"There's a bathroom over there." Draco pointed. "Emory!" He called, the polite little elf shortly appearing after.

"Yes, Young Master Malfoy?"

"Granger will be staying for another night. Give her whatever she asks of you."

"Oh, yes, Young Master Malfoy," Emory said delightfully and then turned to Hermione. "Would you like anything, Miss Granger?"

"Oh, um, I…" Hermione felt extremely uncomfortable ordering around a house elf with her negative opinions about servitude in general. But unfortunately, there was something that she desperately wanted. "A glass of water would be lovely."

Emory grinned. "Right away, Miss Granger."

Emory disapparated. Draco turned to Hermione and smiled. "You'll be comfortable here for the next day. You deserve it after everything you've been through."

"Thank you, Malfoy." Hermione replied. "It really means a lot. And with the extra rest, I could probably take myself home. No need to risk you getting seen with me."

"I don't think so." Draco told her as he headed towards the exit. "A gentleman always escorts a lady home. Prisoner or not."

With that Draco left; vaguely hearing Emory pop back into the bedroom with the glass of water that Hermione had asked for.


	7. Day Seven

Just as Draco had thought, though Pansy had been sent to bed she was hardly asleep. He found her pacing in his bedroom and then threw her arms over him once he was inside.

"I was so worried!" Pansy said once she let him ago. She snuggled her head into his neck which gave him the proper opportunity to roll his eyes.

"Worried?" Draco repeated with a chuckle as he gently shook her off. "Someone's forgotten who I am."

"Could you blame me?" Pansy asked. She led the way to the bed and both of them climbed in. "It couldn't have taken _that_ long to get rid of the dimwitted duo."

"No, of course not, but I had to stash Granger somewhere safely. I was in the middle of getting her out of here when they showed up."

"What awful timing!"

"Tell me about it." Draco yawned. He let Pansy rest herself on him as she was accustomed doing and he pulled up the bedsheets. "At least I've bought some time. I can get her out of here tomorrow."

Those were _not_ the comforting words that Pansy had wanted to hear and she immediately sat up in bed. "_What?_"

Draco sighed. "Granger, she's still here."

"Draco, you need to get rid of her."

"I know that Pansy, but hell, what do you expect me to do? Sneak her out of here tonight?" Draco groaned and placed his hands behind his head. "For all I know Potter and Weasley left a couple Aurors behind in case I do have her and they want to catch me in the act. I'll move her tomorrow. That way if there were any Aurors out there I can be sure they're gone. Either that or take the necessary precautions should they still be there. Regardless of what happens, Granger's not leaving tonight. Now go to sleep."

….

Yet again Draco woke up entangled in Pansy's arms. He felt like a child's toy, but for once he would let it pass. He was in a good mood. No arrests were made last night. Those dreadful "bugs" as Hermione had called them would be nonfunctional by now. Hermione would be out of the Manor by the end of the night. And, best of all, his current guilt over her was at an all-time low knowing that she had slept in a bedroom suite with Emory at her beck and call.

After this whole ordeal was finally over, Draco was going to move forward with several changes in his life. For one, the search for getting his own place was going to be put in overdrive. It would be modest. Six bedrooms, tops. No secret dungeons. No secret hallways. Well, maybe one secret hallway… Draco wanted to change, but he didn't think he could change _completely_. Certainly not overnight.

And as Draco thought about changes, he let his eyes drift over Pansy whose head was resting on his chest like always. He was going to break up with her. Just thinking about doing it was distressing. Not because he loved her. He had known those feelings weren't inside of him and were sure that they would never be. It was distressing because he knew the hell Pansy would put him through. She'd whine and cry to him. She'd whine and cry to her father. Her father would complain to Lucius, who then would give Draco hell for doing away with her. Draco didn't care. It was his life. And as Hermione had once told him in the dungeons, he had the right to be happy.

Sighing, Draco was mildly surprised when there was a puff of white smoke in front of his eyes and a small piece of parchment landing just above Pansy's head. He pursed his lips in annoyance as he one-handedly took up the note and held it to his eyes. It read two words: _Breakfast. Alone._ It was written by his father, no doubt. The lack of question mark meant that it wasn't a request and "alone" meant that he didn't want to discuss their business in front of Pansy.

Draco could've ignored it; pretended that he was still sleeping and hadn't seen the note. But he had to see his father sometime as he would want updates on what happened last night. It was either here at breakfast or a miserable trek to his father's wing of the Manor and Draco wanted to exert the least amount of effort possible. And so, Draco slipped himself out of bed as quietly as possible without waking Pansy. He dressed quickly, taking less care with what he chose to wear than he normally would and slowly made his way from his wing and down to the dining hall.

As expected, his father was already there diving into breakfast as regally as possible. Draco adjusted the collar on his shirt and walked into the room, taking a seat at his father's right hand.

"Morning," Draco said as he sat down. Lucius eyed him from his periphery and continued chewing and then swallowing before speaking.

"Morning. Since neither of us are in a Ministry holding cell I assume everything went well last night?" Lucius inquired. Draco cleared his throat.

"As well as it could have gone. I thought you were coming downstairs to see what the ruckus was about."

"I was, but obviously I changed my mind." Lucius replied snobbishly. It was in this instance that Draco had lost his entire appetite for food.

"Well, regardless of your presence, the situation is handled. You should know though," Draco added as he watched for the anticipated jaw-clenching his father would engage in. "Granger's still here. I couldn't risk Potter and Weasley leaving some of their people behind, waiting and watching for either one of us to slip up."

"A wise decision," Lucius said surprisingly. "I knew they weren't just here for questioning when I saw them slip Pansy that search warrant."

Draco paused. The fork he had just picked up suddenly fell with a clatter onto his plate as his eyes made contact with his father's. "_They did what?_"

Lucius eyed him suspiciously as he continued talking. "A house elf was nowhere to be seen and neither were you, so Pansy said that she would address the door. As I was making my way I saw Potter handing her the search warrant."

"Damn it." Draco exclaimed and he quickly pushed himself away from the table and hurriedly began walking out of the room.

"Draco!" Lucius called after him as he too got up from the table to follow him. "Draco, what's going on? _Draco!_"

"_Not now_," Draco said sternly over his shoulder. "I have to get Granger out of this Manor and I have to do it _now_."

Draco's rapid steps turned into a run. He made it to his wing of the Manor in record time; his footsteps having obviously grabbed Pansy's attention since she was standing outside of his door.

"Draco, what's the matter?" Pansy asked, but he promptly ignored her. This didn't stop her from following him, of course, but she was the least of his concerns. Draco walked up to the bedroom suite he had left Hermione in and opened the door without knocking. She was there, sitting up in bed and animatedly talking to Emory. They both turned their attention and dropped all the happy tones from their voices.

"Emory, survey the area and do it quickly. I need to know if there are any Aurors staked out around the place and where."

"Right away, Young Master Malfoy." Emory obeyed and disapparated. Hermione climbed out of bed and walked towards him.

"Malfoy, what's going on?"

"Draco, why are you..?" Pansy's words trailed off when she saw Hermione. Instantly her mouth curled up in a snarl; both at Hermione and Draco. "Seriously? You gave the mudblood a bedroom?"

"Humph," Hermione scoffed. "Aren't you just the same as ever, Parkinson."

"Oh, not the same." She taunted. "I know a few more spells to deal with a goody-goody mudblooded woman like you-"

"_Enough, Pansy!_" Draco shouted at her before turning to Hermione. "Granger, she touched the warrant."

Hermione's grew wide. "Oh no… And did the two of you..?"

"We said more than we should have." Draco said regrettably. "And now I've got to get you out of here."

Just then Emory popped back into the room with useful and pressing information. "There are Aurors posted on each side of the Manor, Young Master Malfoy. There also more apparating in as we speak."

"They know." Hermione said. Draco ears were numb as she spoke, but it didn't matter. He grabbed Hermione's hand and pushed Pansy out of the way as the two of them took off down the hall.

"You need to Floo out of here." Draco said as they ran through the halls. Hermione immediately protested as they neared the stairs that took them to the main lobby.

"I can't! They'll know where I flew from if I do!"

"Just go anywhere, _anywhere_ other than home!"

They tackled the stairs two, even three at a time. As soon as their feet touched the ground all hell broke loose. The front doors of the Manor were blasted apart and in came a swarm of Aurors. It all happened so fast that Draco almost couldn't take it in. For one thing, Hermione was wrenched away from him. He felt her hand forcefully slip out of his as Aurors dragged her away from him. A stunning spell hit Draco square in the chest that made him collapse to his knees. As he hit the floor he saw the triumphant grin on Ron's face as he ordered a couple Aurors to arrest him. Beyond his tough frame, Draco saw Hermione. She was in Harry's arms now. He was whispering something to her. It was probably along the lines of "You're okay now. Everything's going to be fine." But as Draco got his hands bounded and he was being pulled to his feet, he could see that nothing Harry was saying was getting through to her. All Hermione was doing was staring right at him, and they continued to hold eye contact until Draco was taken away.

…..

Of all the places on his list that Draco had sworn that he would never go it was Azkaban and the holding cells at the Ministry. He was already in one of them. At this rate he would be in Azkaban soon enough. Draco sat on his cot with his hands cupped tightly. He wondered what else had happened. He imagined that Pansy had gotten arrested too. It was she who he had been talking to about Hermione after all. Aurors would want to question her. Maybe she'd be charged too since she knew that Hermione had been captive at the Manor. His father would've been arrested as well. That's for certain. But even then, if that was case, then where the hell were they? There were other people in the holding cells as well, but none of them were his "accomplices."

Sighing, Draco thought about what would happen now. He would be tried, most definitely, but as what? Would he merely be an accomplice to Rodolphus' kidnapping game? Would he be charged for the whole endeavor? They had to send someone to Azkaban, didn't they? Seeing as he was a Malfoy, Draco didn't think the Ministry cared if he was _really_ to blame for all of this. Especially bloody Harry Potter who had led the investigation in the first place.

Draco stewed in his own thoughts for hours. It was as the sun was beginning to set that commotion arose in the holding cells. It wasn't from other inmates. They had either gone or had fallen asleep. When a shadow creeped into his cell Draco looked up and was entirely surprised to see Hermione. For someone who had been locked away in a dungeon for practically a full week, tortured beyond measure, she looked good. She had obviously been tended to by a Healer. The messy stitching that Draco had done had been mended.

"Visitors aren't allowed in the holding cells." Hermione began to say. "But seeing as how I was 'your victim' they let it slide just once."

"That and you've got friends in high places." Draco scoffed. He slid his hands over his face and let out an exasperated groan. "I told him. I told my father that something like this would happen. And now our arses are on the line."

"…Malfoy… I don't know how to tell you this but…it's only you that's on the line here."

Draco stared at her in disbelief. He jumped up from his cot and crossed his way over to the cell bars. "What do you mean it's just me?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip nervously. "Malfoy, Pansy was arrested too and she ratted on you in exchange for the kidnapping charges to be dropped."

Draco swore. He kicked at the bars and ran his hands through his hair. "Fine, fine. I don't know why I expected more from her anyway." He turned his gaze back towards Hermione and urged her on. "And my father? What of him?"

"Aurors couldn't find him." Hermione replied. "They searched the Manor everywhere. When they found your father's wing, there was Floo Powder remnants on his fireplace. He's fled. And since it's an illegal Floo-"

"There's no way to know where he is." Draco finished. He grew quiet. And then all at once he let out a slew of swears and curses that made Hermione highly embarrassed to hear. Draco ended his rant by turning over his cot and kicking the walls. It must've hurt, but he fought through the pain as Draco slid down the cell wall near the bars.

"Malfoy, listen to me." Hermione said pleadingly. "I'm going to get you out of here. This wasn't your fault. You know that and I know that."

"But the world out there doesn't _want_ to know that." Draco contradicted. "The fact remains that you were kidnapped and held in my Manor. That's all anyone needs to find me guilty. I'm not going anywhere except Azkaban."

"…You insult me, Malfoy." Hermione said, which surprised Draco as it had absolutely nothing to do with what he had just said. She was smiling now which confused him further. "Your name isn't the only one that's been all over the Daily Prophet. I work for the Ministry, Malfoy. I'm a criminal defense council member. No, I can't defend you. On contrary I'll most likely be subpoenaed to testify against you. But I still know law and I know how they're going to attack you. I'm going to get you out of this mess."

Draco couldn't help but stare at her in disbelief. After all she'd been through, after all that he had let her endure, she was willing to help him. He couldn't let her do it. She'd be breaking laws. She'd be putting her career _and_ herself in jeopardy. Draco began to shake his head, but Hermione cut off any words that he was about to say.

"You won't get me to change my mind, so don't even try." Hermione told him. She took a deep breath and dropped to her knees so that she was level with Draco's face. She carefully stuck her hand through the bars and placed it on his shoulder. "I trusted you while I was in your dungeons, Malfoy. Now trust me while you're in mine."

There was nothing that Draco could do. He nodded and Hermione grinned as she rose to her feet. With that she left, and Draco listened to her footsteps until he could no longer hear them. It was all up to her now. And so, Draco picked himself up from the ground and set his cot upright. With the uncomfortable pillow behind his head, he lay down, placing his cupped hands on his stomach.

"I guess this is it." Draco said to himself as he closed his eyes. "Day one."

**Author's note:** Well, that's the end! Thank you for all of you who've been reading. It's really appreciated it! I'm thinking about writing a sequel, but I haven't touched it yet. So for now, this is it, but do keep your eye out!

In the meantime, do feel free to read anything else that I've written. I recently posted a story called Aurors vs. the Condemned. It's a trilogy where the first two stories are already completed so I should be posting every week.

Happy reading everyone!

-WP :D


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